Feed-regulator.



J. W. CORNELIUS.

FEED REGULATOR.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 11, 1913.

Patented Feb. 10, 1914,

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

COLUMBIA PLANOORAPM cov, WASHINGTON, D. c

J. W. CORNELIUS.

FEED REGULATOR.

' APPLIUATION FILED SEPT. 11, 1913. V

Patented Feb. 10, 1914.

m R 2 Inventor:

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

CBLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH COUWASHINGTON, 11c,

Patented Feb. 10, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

0 ll|||llllIIII-] IIIIIIIIIIIIII Q 0 lllllllllllllll-l;

"Illu- J. W. CORNELIUS.

FEED REGULATOR. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I1, 1913.

NOGRAPH I. WASHING ON D L JOHN W. CORNELIUS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

FEED-REGULATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 10,1914.

Application filed September 11, 1913. Serial No. 789,393.

.Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feed-Regulators, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to devices for discharging and feeding dry materials in a more or less fluent state, and its objects are, among others, to provide a more efiicient, effective and dependable device of this character and to otherwise improve the construction and operation of the same.

It is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a device embodying the improvements; Fig. 2 is an end view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a side elevation, certain of the parts being broken away and others shown in section in each view.

The feeder is designed to handle dry material in a finely divided state, such as ground, crushed or sifted products, that are required to be fed together in fixed proportions.

The drawings show a three compartment feeder, that is one having three separate hoppers to hold three ingredients. The divisions of the hopper spaces are made in relation to the volume and weight of each product and the required proportion for the finished mixture. Of course, single machines can be used entirely, one for each product, the feed from the machines going in regular streams to mix together.

S is the main shaft that transmits motion to the feeder and carries the hollow drum D and the frame.

F and B are the frames and bearings supporting shaft S. The frame B on the top of the frame F supports hopper H and D is the hollow drum carried by the ends D the said ends being fastened to shaft S.

The wall of the drum D is slotted, longitudinally with the axis as shown at (Z, with any number of equally spaced slots, these slots being of uniform width and being full length between the ends D of the drum. The ends D are slotted from the rim toward the center, as shown at d the slots being equally spaced and of uniform width to exactly correspond with the same number of slots in the drum D.

F are flights that work in the slots (Z and (P, with ends extending outside the ends of drum D.

S are coiled springs fastened to the hubs of D and spaced so that one is at each end of each flight F The purpose of these springs is to hold the flights F against the bottom of the slots (Z and also while said flights are passing over shoes S located as hereinafter described. When the flights F are against the bottoms of the slots (Z the outside edges thereof are just even with the outside surface or face of drum D.

W, R and F are the threaded wheelnut, screw rod and frame respectively, for adjusting the slotted sliding frames B into any desired posit-ion in relation to spur gears S loosely mounted on the shaft S. The frames R are coupled together by a suitable rod and sleeve C and are connected with the screw rod R by the stud T, which receives the end of said screw rod. The frames R slide on rollers R mounted in the frame F. The sliding frames R are used to rotate the gears S by means of the racks R in their upper edges.

The shaft bearings B are machine-turned exteriorly to receive the gears S and cams C which rotate freely thereon, the said cams being operated by the wheel W, sliding frames R and connecting mechanism. The spur wheels S are similarly cut and the cams or eccentrics correspond with each other in contour, the periphery being a circle and the center hole or bore also a circle. but out of center with the outside circle. The parts S and C on each side are secured together and rotate together 011 the ends of B.

The racks R working with the gears S move the eccentrics G into any required position through a part or all of one half of a rotation, and these eccentrics working under shoes S will move them vertically to the desired height, and maintain them at that height, by the operation of the parts W, R and The upper surface of each of the two shoes S is curved and when the said shoes are at their lowest position the flights F held by the springs S will pass over without being raised. When the shoes S are raised, however, to any point above their lowest position by the eccentric cams C the flights F inside the hopper will be raised to a corresponding height'when' passing over them, and will then drop back against the bottom of the slots (Z Each of the shoes S is made with a tongue S on the under side which rides in a groove (see dotted lines Fig. 3) in the cams C to keep the said shoe in direct line across shaft S. The shoes are fastened to the lower ends of rods S These rods S hold the shoes S in position and move vertically up and down with them.

B are bearings for the rods S and are secured to the hopper H.

i i" is agate working vertically in slides id -and normally covering the portion of the discharge opening of the hopper between the drum 1) and the front wall of said hopper, which terminates above said drum (see dotted lines l ig. 3) so as to leave an opening-T 2 across the front through which the materials pass by gravity under the control of the projecting portion of the flightsF The lower part orfoot of said gate is cul'ved to fit over thesurface of the drunrl) when the shoes S are at the low- GStQPOiIlt'fiDCl all the flights F are at the bottom of tllOll'dQSPQCtlYG slots. The gate G is raised and lowered by means of the arms A fixed to the rods S when the flights F are raiseclabove the surface of D and maintain approximately the same distance from the surface of D as the projection of the flights F By this arrangement the quantity of material discharged during a given time is accurately controlled and may be increased or diminished by the 'aising' or lowering of the flights and the :gate. The arms A are fixed'to the gate G as well as rods The rods E and the weights J extending rearwardly from the said-arms A" are used to counterbalance the weight. of theigate G, so that the said gate will worlcfreely inthe slides S.

A shaft S mounted in bearingsB fixed to the said walls of the hopper used to transmit-motion to theagitator rods T fixed thereon in the hopper to'keep the ingredi entsloose, and in conditionto be fed out freely as required. Motion is transmitted from the shafts to the shaft Sjby means of the sprocket'wheels S and S and the chain helt C 'In :general the-materials in the hopper compartments are fed out uniformly, the drum D movingwith a fixed rotation on shaft Sand indirection toward the gate G. The flights F being set into required position as to height will carry a certain volume of the material with each rotation. The-amountto be carried'out can be changed at-"will-by the Wheel W 'by hand, or" the said "wheehmay be moved by anysuitable governing apparatus, automatic or other- Wise.

In' operation't-he materials are first-placed in the hopper H and the drum' D rotated. The flights F and G are then raised to a degree which will secure the desired rate of discharge, the said materials being carried under the lower edge of the gate by gravity aided by the projecting portion of the flights which pass under the gate so as to barely clear the under surface of its shoe or have slight frictional contact therewith. The arrangement whereby the gate is raised and lowered vertically and not on a line radial to the shaft S will give-satisfactoryresults, although an'ar 'a-ngement whereby the,..gate is moved radially is withinthc purview of the invention, as well as other changes in the details of construction.

The gate G may be constructed so as to be aised and lowered in a line with the center of theshaft S instead of perpendicularly as shown in the drawings, and this can be accomplished by the use of another pair of cams of thesame size and contour asthe cams which raise the shoes 8*. With this arrangement the travel of thec ate will be identical with the movement of -theflights, although the correspondence of their movements in the device as shown is entirely satisfactory.

hat I claim is:

1. The combinationof a compartment adapted to containa supply of loose materials to be discharged therefrom having a discharge opening, and means for discharging the said materials comprising a moving device normally closing said'discharge opening, said device having a series of=recesses which pass over the said opening and to the exterior of the compartment during the movement thereof, and members located thereinadapted to be moved to different, positions relative to the surface of said moving device to regulate" the discharge of materials,-n1eans for moving said members and for holding them in various positions," consisting of a member movable independently of thesai'dmeans arranged tobe fixed in different ;positions, and means constantly tending to move saidamembers which are located in the recesses in one direction.

2. The combination of a compartment adapted to contain-a supply of loose materials to bedischarged therefrom having a discharge opening, and means for discharging the said materials comprising a moving device normally closing said discharge opening, said device having a series of recesses which pass over the said openingand to' the exterior of the compartment during the movement thereof, and Imembers located: therein adapted to be moved to different. positions relative to the surface ofsaid :moving idevice to: regulate thedischarge of materials, means for 1 moving said 1 members 4 and for holding them in various positions, consisting of an adjustable shoe andameans forsinterposing the same in the path'of said members in various degrees and for "fixing the same therein.

'3. The combination of a compartment adapted to contain a supply of loose materials to be discharged therefrom and having an open lower portion, and means for discharging and controlling the rate of discharge of said materials comprising a moving device extending across the mouth of said open portion and movable members connected therewith adapted to be maintained at approximately the normal level of discharge of the said mouth of the compartment and to be moved beyond the said level.

4.. The combination of a compartment adapted to contain a supply of loose materials to be discharged therefrom and having an open lower portion, and means for dis charging and controlling the rate of discharge of said materials comprising a moving device extending across the mouth of said open portion and members connected therewith adapted to be moved to di flerent positions above the normal level of discharge of the said mouth.

The combination of a compartment adapted to contain a supply of materials to be discharged therefrom and having an opening through which the said materials may be discharged, means for controlling the rate of discharge of said materials comprising a moving device in said opening and members connected therewith adapted to be moved to diii'erent positions in the approximate normal level of discharge of said open ing and above the said level.

6. The combination of a compartment adapted to contain a supply of materials to be discharged therefrom and having an opening through which the said materials may be discharged, means for controlling the rate of discharge of said materials com prising a moving device in said opening and members connected therewith adapted to be moved to different positions with respect to the said opening and means for increasing and diminishing the size of the opening synchronously with the adjustment of the said movable members.

7. The combination of a compartment adapted to contain a supply of materials to be discharged therefrom and having an opening through which the said materials may be discharged, means for controlling the rate of discharge of said materials comprising a moving device in said opening and members connected therewith adapted to be moved to different positions relative to the opening, means for moving the said members and maintaining them in such position comprising a movable shoe with which the said members are adapted to have sliding engagement, and devices for moving the said shoe and fixing it in different positions.

8. The combination of a compartment adapted to contain a-supply of'materialsto and members connected therewith adapted to be moved to different positions with re spect to the opening, means for moving the said members, including a member with which they have sliding engagement, a cam for moving the said member to different positions, a pinion fixed to said cam and a rack engaging said pinion, and means for moving the said rack.

9. In a device of the character described the combination of a container for loose materials having a plurality of compartments, and an outlet opening for the said compartments anda common-means for con trolling the discharge of materials from said compartments through said opening, comprising a movable member therein and ad justable members connected therewith movable to diiierent positions with respect to the said opening and above the normal level of discharge thereof.

10. The combination of a compartment adapted to contain materials to be discharged and provided with a discharge opening, a drum located in said opening and mounted to rotate therein, means for rotating the said drum, and members carried by said drum adapted to be moved to positions beyond the periphery thereof and means for regulating the extent of said movement.

11. In a device of the character described, the combination of a compartment adapted to contain materials to be discharged therefrom and provided with a discharge opening, a drum located in said opening and mounted to rotate therein, said drum normally closing the said opening and the periphery of the said drum adapted to be in contact with said materials and members carried by said drum and having their normal position within the periphery thereof, and means connected therewith for causing the said members to project a predetermined distance beyond the said periphery of the drum while passing across the discharge opening of the compartment.

12. In a device of the character described, the combination of a compartment adapted to con ain materials to be discharged there from and provided with a discharge opening, a drum located in said opening and mounted to rotate therein, said drum normally closing the said opening and the periphery of the said drum adapted to be in contact with said materials and members carried by said drum and having their normal position within the periphery thereof, and means connected therewith for causing the said members to project a predetermined distance beyond the said periphery of the drum While passing across the discharge opening of the compartment, and a gate at one edge of said discharge opening, adapted to be brought into close proximity to the periphery of the drum, but movable toward and from the same, and means for moving the said gate synchronously with the movement of the aforesaid members which are carried by the drum.

13. In adeviee of the character described, the combination of a container for loose materials having an outlet opening, and means for controlling the rate of discharge of materials from said container through said opening comprising a movable member therein and adjustable members connected therewith movable to a position beyond the normal level of discharge of said opening While the said movable member is in motion.

While the said movable member is in motion and while passing across the said discharge opening.

lVltness my hand this lth day of September, 1913, at the city of St. Louis, in the 35 State of Missouri.

JOHN W. CORNELIUS.

\Vitnesses CLARISSA E. CLARK, CHARLES \V. TODEBUSH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

